Jose Cruz Jr. Is Welcoming Feel Of ‘The Heat’

The heat. The best thing about his new home, Jose Cruz Jr. said Friday, was the heat. But unlike most people who move away from Seattle, he wasn’t knocking the weather.

It was his way of endorsing the July 31 trade that sent him from the Mariners to the Toronto Blue Jays, giving him a more prominent role and possibly a quicker path to stardom. There is more demand for him to do well, to carry a bigger load, and he welcomes it.

“I kind of shied away from all the heat with all the big guys around here,” Cruz said, referring to his high-profile former teammates. “Now I’ve been thrown into it and I’m learning how to deal with it. I’m still getting better and still learning a lot. I’m going to progress faster - because I’ve been thrown into the heat.”

Friday, his biggest concern was simply getting through pregame festivities. For nearly two frantic hours, Cruz was besieged by Mariner players treating him as if he were a long lost brother and reporters dutifully recording the moment.

Mariner second baseman Joey Cora let out a yelp when he first saw Cruz walk onto the field. Ken Griffey Jr. came out of the batting cage to slap hands, give him a hug and direct a soft punch to his midsection. Club house personnel playfully teased him about getting fat, Cruz arguing back that he had put on more muscle.

“I just hope he doesn’t do too much damage to us,” Cora said.

The youngster, who went 1 for 3 with a pair of strikeouts, seemed older, as well as buffer. But he still got put in his place.

While stretching with Toronto teammates, Cruz looked away as three high school girls standing behind the dugout called out his name and held up a black and white drawing of him. Nearby, two girls even younger yelled louder and held up a larger offering, a red, white and blue sign that bore his first name in huge letters. Cruz finally looked up and blushed. Not missing a thing, teammates got on him good for portraying the teen idol, no matter how innocent.

He is well-liked among the Toronto players, who are mostly younger. One reason is he seems to handle life’s setbacks in a more relaxed manner than most 23-year-olds.

In one game, Cruz struck out in his first two at-bats. Right fielder Shawn Green expected at least a minor explosion as he waited for Cruz to run to the outfield with him.

“I handed him his hat and he was laughing,” Green said. “I thought he’d be upset. I get really frustrated if I strike out twice. He’s really got it together. He just ran out and laughed and said, ‘I couldn’t hit it.’ That was impressive. It just shows he has a lot of confidence in himself.”

Cruz not only plays in the SkyDome, but lives there, occupying a mini-suite that offers a view of the Canadian version of the Space Needle, the CN Tower, and downtown Toronto. Roger Clemens, he says, has a better room, the one that looks out on the field and was formally used by former Blue Jay Roberto Alomar.

He’s been much too busy to dwell on the M’s or follow them closely in the boxscores. He knew Griffey had hit a bunch of homers again and pitcher Randy Johnson had gotten hurt. Which was enough for him.

“When I was with Seattle I didn’t even know what division Toronto was in,” he said.

Cruz seems pleased to be with Toronto, a rebuilding team. Asked how he might feel if the Mariners go to the World Series without him, he offered no protests.

“That would be fun,” he said. “I’d be rooting for them.”

As long as he keeps improving, Cruz says he will be content. Asked if he would be in the lineup tonight, for Johnson’s return from a finger injury, the rookie slugger didn’t blanch.

“I don’t dodge anybody now - I’ve got to be in there,” he said. “It’s like I’ve been with these guys forever. I’m happy about that.”

The heat feels good.